Structure induced activity enhancement of tungsten oxide for tetrabromobisphenol A photodegradation under visible light illumination

Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), a prevalent brominated flame retardant, poses significant environmental and health risks, necessitating its removal. In this study, WO3 with different structures was synthesized for TBBPA photodegradation under visible light using H2O2 and O2 as oxidants. The catalyst exhibited robust stability and reusability, rendering it suitable for practical applications. The crystalline structure and surface structure of WO3 controlled its catalytic activity towards TBBPA photodegradation. Monoclinic WO3 with the (022) plane was found to be the most active for ˙O2− active species generation from H2O2 and thus active for TBBPA degradation. Degradation product analysis showed that the catalyst was active not only for the removal of TBBPA, but also for the debromination of TBBPA. Nearly 100% debromination was achieved.